Dawkins, Richard

Dawkins, Richard

(1941- ) a British scientist with a special interest in evolution. In his book The Selfish Gene, he says that humans, plants, and animals are built by genes (=the parts of a cell which control qualities that are passed on to a living thing from its parents) so that the genes can continue to exist. He is famous for strongly opposing the belief in God.

Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English Advanced Learner's Dictionary.